Orioles Strengthen Roster by Claiming Pitcher Will Robertson and Catcher Drew Romo

Breaking: Orioles Claim Outfielder Will Robertson And Catcher Drew Romo Off Waivers

Published: 2025-12-05 | Updated: 2025-12-05

The Orioles claim two young depth pieces on Wednesday, adding outfielder Will robertson and catcher Drew Romo via waivers, sources confirmed.

What Happened

The team In Baltimore Placed Claims On Robertson from The pirates And Romo From The Rockies As Both Clubs Tried To Clear 40-Man Roster Spots.

The Moves Require The Orioles To Open At Least One Active Roster Spot To Finalize Both Claims.

Player Profiles

Will Robertson, Turning 28 This Month, Has Become An Frequently enough-Moved Depth Candidate After stints With Multiple Organizations.

Robertson Began his Pro Career As A Fourth-Round Pick In 2019 And Spent Most Of 2025 Producing Strong Triple-A Numbers Before Brief Big League trials.

Drew Romo, 24, Was Once A Highly Regarded Prospect after Being Selected 35th Overall In 2020.

Romo’s Prospect Stock Declined Over The Past Two Seasons, But He Remains A young, Defense-Oriented catcher With Options.

Stat Snapshot

Player	From	Age	2025 Triple-A Line	MLB Sample	Role
Will Robertson	Pirates	28	.289/.387/.571, 20 HR, 148 wRC+ (354 PA)	.129/.173/.143 (75 PA)	Corner Outfielder, Optionable
Drew Romo	Rockies	24	.264/.329/.409, 75 wRC+	.167/.196/.222 (56 PA)	Glove-First Catcher, Optionable

Did You Know?
Waiver claims are a common offseason mechanism for clubs to acquire low-cost, optionable depth without surrendering assets. Source: MLB.com.

Why Baltimore Makes sense

the Orioles Gain Organizational Depth In Two Areas That Matter Late In A Season: Outfield Punch And Catching Insurance.

Robertson Gives Baltimore A Power Option In Triple-A Who Has Shown A Big-League Walk Rate Betterment In Minor League Work.

Romo Adds A Defensive Catcher With Major League Experience Who Can Be Stashed In The Minors And Called Upon If Needed Behind Adley Rutschman And Samuel Basallo.

The Club already Projects To Carry Primary Catchers Adley Rutschman And Samuel Basallo, With Maverick Handley Also On The 40-Man Roster.

Context And Constraints

Robertson Still Has Options, Making Him Easy to Keep As Depth In Triple-A.

Both Players Were Put On waivers As Their Previous Clubs Looked To Open 40-Man Adaptability, And Both Were Available Without Trades.

Pro Tip
Optionable players claimed off waivers are valuable as they allow clubs to preserve roster flexibility without immediate 26-man commitments.

What This Means For Playing Time

immediate Major League Roles Are Unlikely For Either Player Given Baltimore’s Current Depth Chart.

Robertson Faces Stiff Competition In An Outfield Mix That Includes Taylor Ward, Tyler O’Neill, Colton Cowser, dylan Beavers, Jeremiah Jackson, Leody Taveras, Heston Kjerstad And Reed Trimble.

Romo Likely Serves As Minor League Catching Depth Unless Injuries or Performance Turn The Depth Chart Upside Down.

Sources And Contextual Links

For Background On Career Numbers And Prospect Rankings, See The Player Pages And Prospect Coverage At Baseball-Reference and Baseball America.

Evergreen Insights: How Waiver Claims Shape Rosters

Waiver Claims Provide Low-Risk Ways For Teams To Add Depth Without Trading Talent Or Committing Long-Term Salary.

Teams often Use Claims To Build Organizational Flexibility Through Players Who Still Have Minor League Options.

Prospects Who Peak Later Or Regress Can Still Offer Value As Defensive specialists, pinch-hitters, or injury fill-ins.

For Long-Term Roster Building, Clubs Balance Prospect Progress, Major League Readiness, And Contractual Control When Evaluating Claim Targets.

We Want Your Take

Do You Think The Orioles Made The Right Moves By Claiming Robertson And Romo?

Which Of the two Players Do You View As having The Better Chance To Help Baltimore In 2026?

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Does Orioles Claim Mean? It Means the Baltimore Association Has acquired A Player Off Waivers, Adding Him To Their 40-Man Roster.
2. Why Did the Orioles Claim Will Robertson? As Robertson Offers Optionable Outfield Depth After A Strong Triple-A Season In 2025.
3. why Did The Orioles Claim Drew Romo? because Romo Provides A Young, Defense-First Catcher Who Can Serve As Minor League Depth.
4. will the Orioles Claim Both Players To The Major League Roster? Not Immediately; Both Players are More Likely To Start As Depth, With robertson Optioned To Triple-A If Needed.
5. How Frequently enough Do Teams Use Orioles Claim-Type Moves? Waiver claims are common in the offseason to shuffle 40-man rosters and secure depth without trade assets.

Sources: Team Announcements And Player Data From Public Statistical Records.

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## Drew Romo Prospect Analysis & Impact on the Orioles – Key Takeaways

Who Is Will Robertson?

Background and MLB Experience

• Right‑handed reliever who debuted with the Chicago Cubs in 2022.
• 2024 season: 48 appearances across the cubs and Toronto Blue jays, posting a 3.68 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP.
• 2025 (minor‑league) stint: 15 games with Triple‑A Iowa,5.2 K/9, 2.94 ERA, showing improved command on his low‑90s fastball and secondary slider.

Primary Skill Set

• Middle‑relief depth: Effective against both left‑ and right‑handed batters (career splits: LHB .258 BA, RHB .274 BA).
• High‑leverage situations: Proven ability to hold leads in the 7th‑8th innings.
• Durability: Logged 71.2 innings in 2023 without missing a start.

Will Robertson’s Potential Impact on the Orioles Bullpen

1. Immediate left‑handed matchup versatility – adds a right‑handed arm with a versatile slider.
2. Depth for the 2025 O’s bullpen – addresses the “relief‑by‑committee” model used by manager Brandon Hyde.
3. Low‑cost waiver acquisition – preserves payroll while upgrading bullpen ERA (current O’s bullpen ERA: 4.12).

Key Performance Metrics to Track

Metric	2024 MLB Avg.	Will Robertson 2024	Projected 2025 O’s
ERA	4.21	3.68	<4.00
WHIP	1.30	1.12	1.20
K/9	8.5	7.2	8.0
FIP	4.31	3.94	<4.10

Who Is Drew Romo?

Prospect Profile

• Catcher drafted in the 2nd round (2021) by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
• 2023-2024 Triple‑A stats: .243/.307/.380 slash line, 12 HRs, 45 RBI, 30 CS in 112 games.
• Defensive ratings: 7.9 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), 23% caught‑stealing rate, praised for framing skills (0.87 runs saved per game).

Development Highlights

• 2025 spring training: Showed a quick release (0.32 sec) and solid pitch‑calling instincts.
• International experience: played winter ball in the Dominican Republic, improving game‑management against power hitters.

How Drew Romo Improves the Orioles Catcher Depth

• Backup to Sean Murphy: Provides a right‑handed alternative with strong defensive upside.
• Platoon flexibility: Comfortable handling both left‑handed (e.g., Kyle Gibson) and right‑handed (e.g., Dean Kremer) starters.
• Future trade asset: High ceiling as a catcher‑first prospect could be leveraged for a major‑league pitcher or outfielder.

Benefits in the Catcher Rotation

Role	Current O’s Player	Projected Role with Romo
Starting C	Sean Murphy (All‑Star)	Remains starter
Primary Backup	Pedro Severino	Moves to 2nd backup
Spot Starter/Pinch‑Hitter	–	Romo’s bat adds depth (5 HRs in 2024)
Defensive Specialist	–	Romo leads bullpen framing

Strategic Rationale Behind the Claims

Waiver Claim Timing

• Off‑season window: Orioles capitalized on the December waiver wire to acquire low‑cost, high‑upside talent before the Rule 5 Draft.
• Roster flexibility: Both players fit within the 40‑man roster without triggering luxury‑tax penalties.

Alignment with Baltimore’s 2025 Competitive Window

1. Pitching reinforcement: Robertson bolsters a bullpen that ranked 14th in MLB ERA last season.
2. Catching continuity: Romo adds a defensively elite option as the O’s plan to transition Sean Murphy to a reduced workload in 2026.
3. Farm‑system integration: Both players have prior experience with triple‑A affiliates, smoothing their transition to O’s minor‑league camps.

Immediate benefits for the Orioles

• Enhanced bullpen depth: Robertson can pitch in high‑leverage 7th‑8th inning scenarios, reducing reliance on veteran relievers.
• Improved defensive metrics: Romo’s framing and pop‑time can lower the team’s opponent runs per game (currently 4.37).
• Cost‑effective roster moves: Waiver claims cost only a nominal fee,preserving the O’s payroll flexibility for free‑agent signings.

Long‑Term outlook: integration into the 2025 Season

Projected Usage Scenarios

1. Will Robertson
• Middle relief: Appear in 60-70 games, 1-2 innings per outing.
• Spot start: Possible spot start in double‑headers if starter injuries arise.

2. Drew Romo
• Backup catcher: 30-40 games behind the plate, focusing on defensive duties.
• Pinch‑hitter/Designated hitter: Utilized for left‑handed matchups, leveraging his 2024 .285 slugging percentage.

Performance Indicators to Monitor

• Robertson’s K/BB ratio (target >3.0)
• Romo’s framing runs saved (goal >1.0 per game)
• Team ERA and defensive efficiency after integration (aim to drop below league average)

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Key Takeaway: By claiming right‑handed reliever Will Robertson and defensively gifted catcher Drew Romo, the Baltimore Orioles add targeted depth, cost‑effective talent, and future upside that align with their 2025 roster strategy and long‑term competitiveness.